Vacuum cleaner



F. RIEBEL, JR

VACUUM CLEANER April 27 1926.

Filed Nov.

anvil whoa $5 M0 (Rhea ma s Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED RIEBEL, JR., OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-NOR TO HAMILTON-BEACH MFG.

(10., OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

VACUUM CLEANER.

Application filed November 29, 1921. Serial No. 518,509.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED RIEBEL, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, county of Racine, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Cleaners, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming apart of the same.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner so constructed as to provide simple means for readily adjusting the height of the nozzle mouth above the surface to be cleaned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner so constructed as to compensate for irregularities in the surface to be cleaned.- V

With these general objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations, details of construction and arrangements of parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawing,--

Fig. 1 is a view of a vacuum cleaner con structed in accordance with the invention with parts in side elevation and parts in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the lower portion of the device showing parts in a different position; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the cleaner.

Referring to the drawing, the cleaner illustrated as an example has a main body element which comprises a motor casing 11 for enclosing a motor (not shown), a fan casing 12, and a nozzle 13 having a suction mouth 14. The motor drives a shaft 15 on which is mounted a suction fan 16. As appears in Fig. 1, the fan chamber communicates with the nozzle and extending into the nozzle is a shaft extension 17. This shaft extension has a pulley 18 which drives a belt 19 for driving a brush 20, located adjacent the suction mouth. I

There is provided two sets of supporting wheels, one set being carried by a supporting element which is adjustably movable with respect to the body element. In the embodiment here illustrated as an example, the rear wheels are carried by such a supporting element. The body element has a pair of front supporting wheels 23 mounted on axles 22 carried by lugs 2i extending rearwardly from the nozzle. While the adjustably movable support for the rear wheels may vary in construction, in that here illustrated as an example. a Y-shaped bracket 28 has depending lugs 27 carrying axles 26 for a pair of rear running wheels 25. The forward end of bracket 28 is provided with two holes 29 which take over pivot pins 30 carried by the body element. The holes 29 are of such diameter that the cleaner body element and the bracket can have relative movement in a fore and aft direction. That is, by causing separation of the body element and supporting bracket, the body element will be tilted forwardly to cause the suction mouth to be positioned closer to the surface to be cleaned and by causing approach of the body element and bracket a reverse tilt separates the suction mouth further from such surface.

There is provided means for tilting the cleaner'body, thereby to vary the positionof the suction mouth with respect to the surface to be cleaned. This maybe accomplished by a cam and abutment connection between the body element and wheel-supporting element. Although capable of various constructions, in that here shown as an example, bracket 28 is provided with a shouldered hole 31 through which extends a headed pin 32 which is threaded into the cleaner body. Between the shoulder of hole 31 and the head of pin 32 is a coil spring 33 which tends to draw body and bracket together. To separate body and bracket, as here shown as an example, mounted on a cross shaft 35 journaled in the bracket 28 is a cam member 36 rotatable in a slot 37 formed in the bracket 28. This cam member engages an abutment or projection 38 on the cleaner body. The cam is rotated by a handle 39 formed as an extension of shaft 35.

\Vhen the handle 39 is operated to force the cam against projection 38 the rear end of the cleaner body is forced away from the bracket 28, thus tilting the body on its forward support and causing the suction mouth 14 to be lowered nearer to the surface to be cleaned. In order to lock the nozzle in a plurality of positions, the cam is formed with a plurality of notches 40 for receiving the projection 38. With this construction the nozzle can be set with its suction mouth in a plurality of positions with respect to the surface to be cleaned. lpon reverse movement of the cam the cleaner body tilts in the reverse direction due to spring 323.

Fig. 1 shows the parts with the cam in what may be tern'ied initial or zero position with the suction mouth of the nozzle at its maximum elevation above the surface to be cleaned. Fig. illustrates the cam in a dif- .l'ereut position with the cleaner body tilted forward to place the suction mouth closer to the surface to be cleaned.

In constructions embodying the invention in its entirety, there is providd a pivotal connection between the cleaner body and the rear support bracket which permits of a sidewise tilt of the body with respect to said bracket. Although capable of various constructions, in the present embodiment the holes 29 which receive the pivot pins 30 are over size at the sides of the pins as well as fore and aft. This permits the cleaner body to rock sideways slightly. The body is normally retained in level position by the spring Vith the construction described, when the cleaner encounters inequalities in the surface being cleaned the body can compensate for the same by tilting slightly with respect to the rear support.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be clear from the above without further description.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, and in combination, a body comprising a motor casing, a fan casing and a nozzle having a suction mouth, forward running wheels for said body, rear running wheels, a bracket on which said rear wheels are mounted, said bracket having at one end a loose connection with the body to permit the bracket to move independently of the body about different axes and thereby compensate for inequalities in the surface to be run over by the wheels, means for separating said body and the other end of said bracket so as to tilt the body about the axis of the forward wheels, and a connection including a spring between the body and bracket normally tending to hold said bracket against said body.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, and in combination, a body comprising a motor casing, a fan casing and a nozzle having a suction mouth, forward running wheels for said body, rear running wheels, a bracket on which said rear wheels are mounted, a downwardly extending pin on said body, the bracket having a hole taking over said pin, said hole being sutliciently larger than said pin to permit a substantial independent movement of the bracket with respect to the body about ditl'erent axes, a notched cam on the bracket, :1 cooperating abutment on the body for engagement by said cam, whereby the other end of said bracket may be separated from the body, so as to tilt the body about the axis of the forward wheels, and may be held in separated position, an opcrating element for the cam, a headed pin carried by the body and passing through a hole in the bracket, and a spring having its respective ends bearing against the bracket and the head of said headed pin and normally tending to hold said bracket against said body.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, and in combination, a body element comprising a motor casing, a fan casing and a nozzle having a suction mouth, two sets of supporting wheels, a supporting element by which one set of wheels is carried and which is adjustably movable with respect to the body element, a rotary cam having a plurality of peripheral notches on one of said elements and a cooperating cam abutting element on the other of said elements for engaging the periphery of said cam, whereby upon rotation of the cam the relative position of the suction mouth with respect to the surface over which the wheels are to be run is varied and upon engagement of the abutment with one of said notches the body and supporting elements are held in adjusted position, and an operating member for the cam.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FRED RIEBEL, JR. 

